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The Yuma Territorial Prison played a big part in the history of the Old West, inspiring fear in those on the outside of the law, although it only operated for 33 years. Its legacy lives on thanks to the movie 3:10 to Yuma, and of course the museum located on-site. Built in 1875 by the first group of prisoners, the prison hosted 3,069 prisoners in its time, among them were 29 women. Surrounded by the enormous desert and the huge Colorado River, the chances of escape were slim. While nobody was ever executed here, 111 prisoners died while serving their time.
After the prison was closed for overcrowding in 1907, it was used by the Yuma Union High School from 1910 to 1914, and during the Great Depression as a shelter for homeless. Today, the prison is managed by the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area, serving as a museum that tells the story of this interesting part of Wild West history.
Address: Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, 220 Prison Hill Rd, Yuma, AZ 85364, Phone: 928-783-4771
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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